- Hello, Power BI community,
this is the May edition of the Power BI monthly update.
I am Jason Himmelstein, principal PM manager
for content strategy in Microsoft Fabric.
For more information about the topics in this video,
check out the monthly update blog.
The link is in the video description below.
Let's go ahead and get started.
There are lots of updates in the Power BI
reporting section this month,
starting with the modern tooltip is now on by default.
Power BI tooltips are embarking on an evolution
to enhance their functionality.
To lay the groundwork, we're introducing
that the modern tooltip is now on by default.
It's a feature that many users may recognize
from its previous status.
This change is more than just an upgrade,
it's the first step in remarkable improvements.
These future developments promise to revolutionize
tooltip management and customization,
offering possibilities that were previously only imaginable.
As we prepare for general availability
of the modern tooltip, this is an excellent opportunity
for users to become familiar with its features
and capabilities without having to go
and turn it on manually.
Matrix layouts.
We've listened to the community's feedback
about improving our tabular visuals, both table and matrix,
and we're excited to initiate the transformation.
Drawing inspiration from the familiar PivotTable in Excel,
we aim to build new features and capabilities
upon a stronger foundation.
Our May update introduces layouts for matrix.
Now you can select from compact outline
or tabular layouts to alter the arrangement of components
in a manner akin to Excel.
Line updates.
Following last month's introduction
of the initial line enhancements,
May brings a groundbreaking set of capabilities
that are set to transform your Power BI experience.
You have the ability to hide and show lines,
customize line patterns, autoscale line patterns,
line dash cap, and line upgrades across other line types.
We recommend visiting our dedicated blog
for an in-depth exploration
of all the new capabilities added to lines.
On object interaction updates.
This May release we are excited to introduce
on object formatting for small multiples,
waterfall, and matrix visuals.
This new feature allows users to interact directly
with the visuals for a more intuitive
and efficient formatting experience.
By double clicking on any of these visuals,
users can now right click on the visual component
that they wish to format,
bringing up a convenient mini toolbar.
The streamlined approach not only saves time,
but also enhances the user's ability
to customize and refine their reports with ease.
Publish to folders in public preview.
We recently announced a public preview
of folders in workspaces,
allowing you to create a hierarchical structure
for organizing and managing your items.
In the latest Desktop release,
you can now publish your reports
to specific folders in your workspace.
When you publish a report,
you can choose the specific workspace
and folder for your report.
The interface is simplistic and easy to understand,
making organizing your Power BI content
from Desktop even better.
And last in this section,
you can now ask Copilot questions about your data model,
and this is in preview.
We're excited to preview a new capability
for Power BI Copilot, allowing you to ask questions
about the data in your data model.
You could already ask questions about the data
present in visuals on your report pages,
but now you can go even deeper
by getting answers directly from the underlying model.
Just ask questions about your data.
If the answer isn't already on your report,
Copilot will then query your model for the data instead
and return the answer to your question
in the form of a visual.
We now have a demo by Lauren Faber
of publish to folders in preview.
- [Lauren] When publishing reports from Power BI Desktop,
you now have the option to publish those reports
into folders contained in workspaces
in the Power BI service.
Folders were previously announced in public preview
in the Power BI service,
and we have now added the capability
to publish those reports directly to those folders
from Power BI Desktop.
This capability makes it easier than ever
to keep your items organized in the Power BI service.
To ensure this public preview feature is on
in your Power BI Desktop, go to the File menu,
click on Options and settings, click on Options,
and look for the Preview Features tab.
Look for the setting called
Publish dialogue support folder selection.
- [Jason] The Power BI modeling section
has lots of great announcements this month,
starting with the general availability of DAX query view.
DAX query view is the fourth view
on the left rail of Power BI Desktop,
where you can run DAX queries against your semantic model.
DAX query view comes with several ways
to help you be as productive as possible with DAX queries.
You can use quick queries,
where DAX queries can be written for you
in the context menu of tables, columns, or measures
in the data pane of the DAX query view.
DirectQuery model authors can also use DAX query view.
View your data in the tables wherever you want.
You can create and edit measures,
edit one or multiple measures all at once.
You can make changes and see the change in action
in DAX query view.
Then you can update the model when you're ready,
see all the DAX queries of a visual,
investigate the visual DAX queries in DAX query view.
You can write DAX queries in DAX query view
using IntelliSense, formatting, commenting and uncommenting,
and syntax highlighting.
And additional professional code editing experiences
such as change all occurrences
and block folding to expand and collapse sections.
DAX query view also includes an inline Fabric Copilot
to write and explain DAX queries,
which remains in public preview.
This month we've made the following updates.
We give you the ability to run a DAX query
before you keep it.
Previously, the Run button was disabled
until the generated DAX query was accepted
or Copilot was closed.
Now you can run the DAX query,
then decide to keep or discard that DAX query.
You can now build DAX queries
conversationally using Copilot.
Previously, the DAX query generated
was not considered if you typed additional prompts.
You had to keep the DAX query, select it again,
and then use Copilot to adjust it.
Now you just simply adjust it
by typing additional user prompts.
This month we introduce the redesigned
managed relationships dialogue in Power BI Desktop.
To open the dialogue, simply select
Manage Relationships button in the Modeling ribbon.
Once it's opened, you'll find a comprehensive view
of all your relationships along with their key properties
all in one convenient location.
From here, you can create new relationships
or edit existing ones.
Ever since we released composite models
on Power BI semantic models in Analysis Services,
you've been asking us to support the refresh
of calculated columns and tables in the service.
This month we have enabled the refresh of calculated
columns and tables in the service for any
direct query source that uses single sign-on authentication.
This includes sources you use
when working with composite models
on Power BI semantic models in Analysis Services.
We're also excited to announce the general availability
of model explorer in the model view of Power BI,
including the authoring of calculation groups.
Semantic modeling is even easier
with the at-a-glance tree view
with item counts, search, and in context paths
to edit the semantic model items with model explorer.
We have updates in the Power BI data connectivity area.
We're happy to announce that the Oracle database connector
has been enhanced this month with the addition
of single sign-on support in the Power BI service
with Microsoft Entra ID authentication.
We're also pleased to announce some new
and updated connectors in this release.
There is a new OneStream Power BI connector,
a new Zendesk data connector,
a new CCH Tagetik connector,
and an update to the Azure Databricks connector.
Reports in OneDrive and SharePoint
with live connected semantic models.
Last May, we announced the integration between Power BI
and OneDrive and SharePoint.
Previously, this capability was limited
to only reports in import mode.
We're excited to announce that you can now seamlessly view
Power BI reports with live connected data
directly in OneDrive and SharePoint.
When working in Power BI Desktop
with a report live connected
to a semantic model in the service,
you can easily share a link to collaborate with others
on your team and allow them to quickly view the report
in their browser.
Let's go ahead and take a look at a demo
of this functionality.
- [Lauren] When a report is shared with you
via OneDrive or SharePoint,
you can easily access that report directly from your browser
with data that is live connected to semantic bottles
in the Power BI service.
This makes it easier than ever to have access
to your reports from where you already work.
- [Jason] Next, we have the Power BI Service.
Storytelling in PowerPoint.
Image mode in the Power BI add-in for PowerPoint.
While you told us that you appreciate
the ability to limit the image view
to only those who have permissions to view the report,
you asked for changes to the public snapshot mode.
To address some of this feedback we got from you,
we've made a few changes in this area.
Add-ins that were saved in public snapshot can be printed
and will not require you to go over all the slides
and load the add-in for permissions check
before the public image is made visible.
You can use the Show as Saved Image
on add-ins that were saved as public snapshot.
This will replace the entire add-in
with an image representation of it,
so the load time might be faster
when you're presenting your presentation.
Updated notifications.
Many of us keep presentations open for a long time,
which may cause the data in the presentation
to become outdated.
To make sure your slides have the data
that you need in them,
we've added a new notification
that tells you if more up-to-date data exists
in the Power BI service and offers you the option
to refresh and get the latest data from Power BI.
Power BI mobile.
We strive to make the Power BI mobile app
as accessible as possible for everyone.
That's why in this month's update
we've added the Show Visuals as Table view to all reports.
Use this feature to instantly view all the visuals,
excluding slicers, cards, and non-data driven visuals,
in your report as table visuals.
This feature enhances the consumption experience
for users who rely on accessibility screen readers
by allowing them to read the underlying data
presented in each visual.
It is also beneficial for users
who prefer to consume their data in tabular form,
which is more like the consumption experience in Excel.
Power BI visualizations.
As always, we have editor's picks of the quarter
and in addition, we also have new visuals
in AppSource this month.
Check out the blog in order to be able
to take a look at each one of these.
That's it for the updates.
Each month we highlight a community member
that's making a positive impact in our community.
Meet Lutz Bendlin, who is a Super User in our community.
Lutz has been a Power BI community member since 2019.
He's received over 6,000 kudos, authored 4,000 solutions,
and has over 30,000 replies.
In addition to being an integral part of our community,
Lutz has equipped his chicken coop with sensors and cameras
and is monitoring temperature, humidity,
and egg production via a Power BI streaming hybrid data set.
Now that's a creative way to use data.
Thank you for being a part of our community, Lutz.
That's all for this month.
Please visit our Power BI community forums
at aka.ms/pbicommunity.
It's the best place for you to connect with others
and get answers to your questions.
And please, tell us how we can do better, we are listening.
Like, comment, subscribe, and thanks for watching.
Looking forward to talking to you again next month.